Apparatus for coating webs



Aug. 15, 1944. v E. PERSON 2,355,673

APPARATUS FOR COATING WEBS Filed July 22, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. a. PM..-

ATTORNEY.

Filed July 22, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R o m E V m ATTORNEY.

Aug. 15,1944. E. PERSON 2,355,673

' APPARATUS FOR COATING QWEBS Filed July 22, 1940 I5 Sheets-Sheets INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1944 APPARATUS FOR COATING WEBS Edward Person, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor'to General Felt Products Inc., a corporation of New York Applidation July 22, 1940, Serial No. 346,717

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for coating a web of paper, textile material or the like.

'One of the main objects of the invention is to provide an efficient and reliable apparatus for coating webs.

A further object of the invention is to effect the application of a double coating to a web in a satisfactory and efficient manner.

A further object of the invention is to insure that coating as applied to the web shall be smooth and free from blemishes. I

a A further object of the invention is to insure uniform thickness of the coating upon the web.

A further object of the invention is to effect the accurate and reliable adjustment of the thickness of the coating upon the web.

A-further object 'of the invention is to so coordinate the regulation of the application of the coating to the web with the position of inspection.

of the applied coating, that' the effect of the regulation upon the applied coating may be readily observed during the regulation. I

A further object of the invention is to provide for the. convenient and readyinspection of the applied coating.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the acompanying drawings which illustrate the invention- Fig. 1' is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention of means and by which the method may be carried out;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, the feed roll being partly broken away and its support being partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of means for adjusting one of the coating-applying rolls; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view ofapparatus embodying the invention and by which the method may be practiced, adapted to the formation of laminated fabrics.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the roll ofpaper, textile material or the like, which is generically referred to as the web, is fixed to the rotatably mounted shaft I after the well known manner of mounting such rolls in connection with printing presses and the like.

From the roll the web 2 passes between idler rolls 3 and 4. These rollers 3 and 4 are provided for tensioningthe web.

From the rollers 3 and'4 the web 2 passes over heated sufllciently to maintain the coating in sufficient fluid or plastic condition for application to the web, thence over the chromium plated convex face 6 of a heated smoothing bar 'I having the electric heater 1', thence about the roller 3. The web thence passes about the roller 8 rotatably mounted adjacent the top of the frame. The roller 8 contacts the opposite side of the web from the coating and may be cooled or not as may be desired to expedite hardening of the coatthe coating to the desired degree.

The rol1er9 raises the web high in the air so that there is room for an operator to stand under it for the purpose of observing the coating on the inclined under side of the web, and the apparatus is divided at this point as shown so that there is room for the operator to sit in between the two halves of the apparatus. Also, as will appear hereinafter, controlling means for the apparatus is placed ready at hand for theoperator from his position beneath the web to control the operation of the apparatus.

From the roller 9, the web with the solidified coating passes downwardly and beneath the idler rection or the other by means of a hand wheel the top of the coating-applying roller 5, which is 56 roll Ill. From the roll'lll the web passes over the roll II for applying a second coat of coating. From the roll H the web passes over the convex surface of the heated smoothing bar 12 which smooths the second coat similarly to the smoothing of the first coat by the smoothing bar] as already referred to. P

From the smoothing bar I2, the web passes about the roller 13. From the roller II the web passes about the roller l4 and thence to the take-up reel I! on which it is wound.

The tension rollers 3 and 4 are rotatably mounted in opposite ends of the arms it, which arms are pivotally mounted at their mid points I! in the upstanding brackets ll in the machine frame base I9. Rollers 3 and 4 may be turned upon the center I! to cause the path dftheweb about the rollers to be longer or shorter whereby the arcs of contact of the web with the rollers are increased and the slack in the web taken up, or the reverse, by rotating the arm ll in one di- 20 fixed on the shaft 2| Journaled in the bracket i8 and having fixed to it a spur gear 22 meshing with aspur gear 23 fixed on one of the rotatab y mounted gudgeona ll. 7

When the rollers 3 and 4 are rotated about the center H (in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1) whereby the path of the web about the rollers is increased and the slack taken up, it will'be apparent that the drag or brake on the web, and thus the tension on the web, will be increased, while a rotation of the rollers in the opposite direction will decrease such dragging effect and reduce the tension on the web.

From the rollers 3 and 4 the web passes about the top of the coating-applying roller 5. This roller 5 is rotatably mounted in bearing boxes 25 vertically slidable in the bracket 26 mounted on the machine frame base l9. Beneath the roller 5 is a,roller 21 dipping into a bath 2B of molten coating, the coating being maintained molten by heating the bath in any well known or suitable manner. The roller 21 is rotatably mounted in the bearing boxes 29 vertically slidable in the bracket 26. However, the boxes 29 are maintained at their lowermost points by reason of gravity and compression springs 30, one such compressionspring being mounted between the boxes 25 and 29 at each end of the rollers, such springs tending to force the boxes, and therefore the rollers, apart.

' The rollers 5 and 21 are geared together by the pairs of spur gears 30' at the ends of th of a projection 33 fixed upon the bracket 26, the

thread between the projection 33 and the sleeve being fine with relation to the thread on the To the upper end of the shaft 3| is fixed a hand wheel 34 by means of which the shaft 3| may be turned in one direction or the other, when the shaft 3| will be moved downwardly, forcing the boxes 25 downwardly, and

with it the roller 5, against the pressure of the springs 30, or when the wheel 34 is turned in the opposite direction, the shaft 3l will be moved upwardly, thus permitting the boxes 25 and their carried roller to rise under the action of the spring 30.

By turning the sleeve 32 in one direction or the other in the projection 33, the sleeve will be moved upwardly or downwardly and the shaft 3 I,

boxes 25 and roller 5'wil1 be moved accordingly,

or by reason of the fact that the thread on the outer surface of the sleeve 32 is finer than the thread on the shaft 3|, a finer adjustment may be made than by turning the shaft. Thedesired adjustment of approach of the rollers 5 and '21 may, therefore, be roughly adjusted by turning the wheel 34 in one direction or the other and then the nicer and final adjustment may be accomplished by turning the sleeve 32, The two' ends of the roller 5 would ordinarily be adjusted to approximately the same distance from the ends of the roller 21 by means of the hand wheel 34 at either end of the roller. The adjusting means at both ends of the roller is accomplished by the operation of either hand wheel, by reason of the fact that the two hand wheels are connected in driving relation by means of sprocket wheels 35 fixed upon the respective shafts3| andjoi'ned-in driving relation by a sprocket chain 33. i

To effect the finer adjustment by turning the sleeves 32 as before referred to, each sleeve has fixed upon it a sprocket wheel 31 drivingly connected by a sprocket chain 38 with a sprocket wheel 39 rotatably mounted in the bracket 26 and having fixed to it a hand wheel 40, so that by turning the hand wheel 40 in one direction or the other, the sleeve 32 is turned in one direction or the other and the finer adjustment of the shaft 3|, as referred to, is accomplished.

The hand wheels 34 are at opposite sides of the machine so that they can be simultaneously adjusted by an operator from either side, but it will be noted that there is a wheel 40 for each end of the upper roll whereby the finer adjustment of the ends of that roll may be independently accomplished. This does not result in inconvenience because both hand wheels 40 are within convenient reach of the operator when he is beneath the web 2, where he would ordinarily stand to inspect the coating, and moreover, due to irregularities, or for other reasons, one end of the roller may require a slightly different adjustment from the other in order to effect the desired result.

The lower roller 21 is driven in the direction of the arrow by means of an electric motor 4| having a sprocket wheel 42 on its shaft, which sprocket wheel is drivingly connected by means of a sprocket chain 43 with a sprocket wheel 43' fixed on the shaft of the roller 21, the upper roller 5 being driven through the .pair of spur gears 30'.

The thickness of the coating applied to the web may be regulated by regulating the space between the rollers 5 and 21, which space can be regulated by means of the hand wheels 34 and 40 as described. The movement of one roller away from another in such adjustment will, however, be very slight so that the gears connecting the rollers will maintain their engagement at all times.

The smoothing bar 1 should have an extremely smooth and hard surface for bearing against the web. This may be effected by chromium plating such surface. This smoothing bar is fixed to a shaft 44 which is rotatably mounted in the frame at 45 and 46. To turn this shaft, there is-fixed .upon it a worm wheel 41 engaging with a worm can be done by an operator from a position beneath the web passing between the rollers 3 and I0 where he canobserve the condition of the coating.

Passing from the smoothing bar 1 the web passes about the roller 8, with the coating side out, the roller 8 being rotatably mounted in the frame, and from the roller 3 the web passes to the highly elevated roll 9 during which passage the coating hasan opportunity to solidify which it does to an extent making it permissible for the coating to come against the roller 3 which is preferably cooled in order to insure proper hardening or setting of "thev oat.

From the-roller 9 the web-passes downwardly about the roll Ill rotatably mounted in the ends of the bars 5|, which bars are rotatably mounted at their midpoints in the frame bracket 52 mounted upon the frame base 53. The ends of the arms 5| opposite the roller l carry counterweights 54 for counterbalancing the roller to a greater or less extent. Fixed upon the gudgeon 55 upon each one of the arms and which serves to pivot the arm in the frame, is a spur gear 56 meshing witha spur geari'l fixed upon the shaft 58 rotatably mounted in the frame bracket 52 and having fixed upon it the hand wheel 59. It will now be apparent that by turning the hand wheel 59 in one direction or the other the arms "5| and roller it maybe swung in one direction or the other to bear upon the web 2 to a greater or less extent.

From the roller Ill the web passes over theupper side of the coating applying roller II. This is a second coat of the coating and is a. very important feature as surely providing a uniform, smooth and glossy coat. The first coat is quite which applies the coating to the already first coated surface of the web. The rollers II and 50 are similar to the rollers 5 and 21, rotatably mounted and geared together as specified in connection with rollers 5 and 21. Also the rollers H and 60 are held spaced apart by springs and the space between the rollers for regulating the thickness of the coating may be regulated by hand wheels 62 and 63 in the same manner and by the same kind of meansas set forth in connection with the rollers 5 and 21.

The rollers 50 and l I are driven from themotor 4| by means of a sprocket chain 54 engaging the sprocket wheels 65 and" respectively fixed upon the shafts of the rollers 21 and 60.

From the roller II the web proceeds over the convex face of the heated smoothing bar l2 which is constructed and mounted in a precisely similar manner to the smoothing bar I, has a chromium plated face and is adjustable as to itspressure and contact surface upon the web by means of a hand wheel 65 in precisely the same manner as the smoothing bar I. l

From the smoothing'bar l2 the web passes about the roller l8 which is driven from the motor 51. The sprocket wheel 61' fixed on the shaft of the motor is connected by a sprocket chain 68 with a sprocket wheel 59 fixed on the shaft T0 of the roller [3, driving it in the direction as indicated by the'arrow.

The rollers l3 and I4 are geared together by the pair of gears II so that the roller l4 also is driven in the opposite direction to that of the roller l3.

It will be observed that in passing about-the roller 13 the coated side of the web is outward whereby thecoating which may be still in a tacky condition is prevented from coming in contact with and sticking 'to' or being wiped oil by the roller.

The web in passing about the roller l8 and before it reaches the roller l4 may have its coating set to a sufficient degree, it being observed vthat the coated side of the web comes against the roller I4, but, if desired, the roller l4 may be From the roller [4 the coated web 2 passes to the take-up reel l5. w V

The roll shaft vl5 is driven from a sprocket wheel I2 fixed on the shaft I0 of the roller l3, and connected by a sprocket chain 13 with the sprocket wheel 14 on the shaft 15. The shaft 15 is connected by means of a friction drive 15 with a shaft 11 rotatably mounted in the reel sup ort 18. Also mounted in the reel support 18 is a rotatable shaft 18 geared by means of spur gears to the shaft ll so that the shaft I8 turns in the opposite direction from that of the shaft 11. The other end of the shaft I5 may be mounted to rotate in a forward bearing 8| on the reel support 82, when it is connected to be driven? from the shaft I1 as shown in Fig. 2 or the'reel shaft may be mounted in another bearing 83 in line with the shaft 19, when the sllgaft I5 is adjusted to cooperate with the shaft A removable bearing cap 84 holds the shaft in position in whichever bearingitmay be located, and may be removed to permit the movement of the shaft from one bearing to the other. The end of the reel shaft I 5. is provided with a socket portion 85 into which is adapted to be inserted the end of either the shaft TI or the shaft 19. I

cannot turn independently of the other. In the drawings, the shaft I5 is shown as connectedv in operative relation to the shaft 11. If, however; it

is desired. to place the shaft 15' in operative relation to the shaft 19 the bearing cap 84 can be removed, the shaft I5 lifted out of the bearing and the socket 85 disconnected from the end of the shaft 11. The shaft I5 is then placed in position where the end of the shaft 19 enters within the socket and the other end of the shaft is placed in the bearing 83. The cap 84 is then applied. Obviouslyin this manner the reel shaft [5' may be operatively related with either of the shafts 11 or 19 as may be desired, the object being to cause the reel to be turned in either direction desired, it being desirable under some cirwumstances to change the direction of rotation of the reel.

The friction drive 15 is provided for the purpose of preventing too great tension on the web, if, for any reason, the pull upon the web by the reel exceeds that which is permissible. -4 It may be observed in this connection that the diameter of the web roll upon which the fabric is wound varies with the amount which-has been wound on it, and therefore the peripheral speed at the surface of the wound'fabric varies greatly, and if provision were not made for slippage by the friction drive the increased speed with the increased diameter'of the wound fabric roll would place an undue tension on the web which might rupture it. I

A bar 2 extends transversely of the machine beneath, but not touching, the web, the bar? being supported in arms 3 rotatably mounted in the sides of the machine frame. This is for the purpose of providing a means for lifting the web 2 off the roll 5 when desired. When the'web is stopped the roll 5 is usually continuously running and it would be injurious for the roll to continue running incontact with the web when the latter was stopped. For this reason the bar bar I of Fig. 1.

2' is provided for lifting the web from the roll. A similar bar 4'- passes beneath the web 2 after the roll H, such bar being mounted in similar arms 8' pivotally mounted in .the sides of the machine. This functions to lift the web 2 from the roll II when desired by swinging the bar 4' upwardly.

The second coating on the machine of Figure 1 is at a lower temperature than the first coating. While the heat of the second coat will, -to some I'laminated and coated sheets may be produced. The web 88 is drawn from the fabric roll- 81 and thence passes between the idler rolls 88 and 88 similar to the rolls 3 and 4 of Fig. 1. Thence theweb passes over a roller 98 cooperating with another roller 9i. The rollers 98 and 9| 'being vheated, the lower one dipping Into a molten bath 92 of coating and the rollers cooperating with each-other and mounted similarly to the rollers and 21 of Fig. 1.

Coating is thus applied to the under side of the ,web 88 and the web thence passes over the convex surface of the heated smoothing bar 93 answers alongthe path 89' and about the idler roll I" which presses the web firmly against the coated side of the web 88 whilesuch coating is warm and to the web 88, formingthe laminated sheet, and

tacky, sothat theweb from the roll I89 .is wedded such laminated sheet or web then passes about the rollers 98 and 99 to the rollers 91 and 88 whereby a coating from the bath I82 is applied to one face of the laminated web. The web instead of passingabove the roll 98, as in Fig. 1, maypass beneath the same and instead of passing between the rollers 91 and88 may pass over the top of the roller 91 similar to the manner in constructed and atflustable like the smoothing Thence the web passes, about a roller 94 corresponding to the roller 8 of Fig. 1

whencetheweb passes to and about the roller 85 corresponding to the roller 8 of Fig. 1. The

web thence passes over a counterweighted idler roll 96 similarly constructed and mounted to the roll I8 of Fig. 1. The web, however, passes outside instead of inside of the roller 98 so' as to increase the arc of contact of the web with the heated roller 9'! to which the web passes from the roller 96. The roller 81 forms with the roller 89-pressure rolls between which the web 88 passes.

In order to provide a laminated sheet a sec-' ond web 99 is drawn from theroll I88 and passes about the idler roll I8I which causes an increased area of contact of the web 99 with the heater roller 98. Increasing the arc of contact of the lar manner to apply a coating from the bath I82 to the underside of the web.

Coatings which may be suitably employed in the foregoing apparatus are disclosed in the United States Patent No. 2,117,199 Bert C. Miller granted may 18, 1938, such coating being applied by the hot method. It will be understood, however, that other coatings having different ingredients and characteristics may be employed.

What I claim is: I

1. In apparatus for coating webs, the combination with a roll adapted to receive coating from a bath; of a second roll spaced from said firstmentioned roll to permit the coating to pass betweensaid rolls whereby said coating is carried from said bath to said second roll and by said second roll to the web and means for passing a web in contact with the coating upon the said second roll, said web contacting the coating on said second roll at a region remote from that where the rolls closest approach each other, the space between said rolls being free for the passage web 99 with the heated roller 98 gives an opportunity for the web to be heated by the roller 98 so as to cause proper cooperation with the coating. Increasing the arc of contact of the web 88 with the roller 91 gives an opportunity for the heat of the roller 81 to heat the coating which has already set upon the web 88 so that it becomes sufliciently soft or tacky to cause the web 86 to be stuck or wedded to the web 99 as the two webs are pressed together in passing between the rolls 8'! and 98. Also in passing about the roll 98, the web 99 has applied to its lower side the coating carried up from the melted coated bath I82 by the roll 98 and applied to the web 99.

The web I89 passing from the rolls 9! and 98 to the roller I84 is laminated with the under side coated. The laminated web passes about the roll I84 which is water cooled to cause setting of the coating to securely wed the layers 89 and 89 t0- gether and also cause the proper setting of the coating on the lower side of the laminated web.

From the roll I84 the laminated web passes to.

the roll l85.which is so set as to cause a. large area of contact of the web with the cooled roll I84 so that the cooling effect maybe increased.

After passing about the roll I85 the laminated web passes to the take-up roll I88.

The rolls 88, 9|, 91, 98, I84 and I88 are driven the last-mentioned means extending longitudi nally of the apparatus into aposition longitudinally between said fourth and fifth rolls and remote from said-first two mentioned rolls where said last-mentioned means is operable by an operator inspecting the coated web.

2. In apparatus for coating webs, the combination with a roll adapted to receive coating from a bath, of a second roll spaced from said firstmentioned roll to permit the coating to pass between said rolls whereby said coating is carried from said bath to said second roll and by said second roll to the web and means for'passing a web in contact with the coating upon the said second roll, said web contacting the coating on said second roll at a region remote from that where the rolls closest approach each other, the space between said rolls being free for the passage of the coating, a smoothing bar, a third roll receiving the web from the smoothing bar, a

fourth roll above said third roll and receiving the web from said third roll, a fifth roll at a lower axis of one roll, independently of the other end with relation to the axis of the other roll and operating means for said roll-axis-moving means', said operating means extending longitudinally of the apparatus into a position longitudinally between said fourth and fifth rolls and remote from said first two mentioned rolls where operable by an operator inspecting the coated web.

3. In apparatus for coating webs, the combination with a heated roll, of means for applying coating to said web at said roll, a normallystationary, heated smoothing-bar acting upon the coated websubsequently to the passage of said roll, a second r011 receiving the web from said smoothing bar, a third roll above said second roll and receiving the web from said second roll and a fourth roll at a lower level than, and receiving the web from, said third roll said bar being rotatably mounted, gearing for rotating said bar about its axis and operating means for said gearing extending longitudinally of the apparatus into position longitudinally between said third and 'fourth rolls and remote from said roll and where operable by an operator inspecting the coated web.

4. Apparatus foncoating webs comprising-in combination a substantially vertical pair oi. heated, coating-applying rolls, the lower one of said rolls dipping into a coating bath and said rolls being spaced from each other to permit coating to pass therebetween, means for driving the lower roll, driving gearing connecting said rolls, a heated smoothing-bar adapted to receive the web from the top of the upper one of said rolls, a roll receiving the web from said smoothing-bar and adapted to hold the web in contact with the upper side of the upper one of said rolls and with said smoothing-bar and a roll above said rolls receiving the web from the last-mentioned rolla'nd raising the coated web into position for ready inspection and to provide a lengthened cooling path for the coated web, a guide roll at a lower level than said web-raising roll and receiving the coated web from the web-raising roll, a second substantially vertical pair of heated coating feed rolls, the lower one of said second pair of rolls dipping into a coating bath and said second pair of rolls being spaced apart to permit the coating to pass therebetween, a heated smoothing-bar adapted to receive the web from the top of'the upper-one of said second pair of rolls, means for mounting a second guide roll receiving said web iromsaid smoothing-bar, said guide rolls passing said web upon the upp r outside of the upper oneof said second pair 0! rolls and also in contact with said smoothing-bar and a third guide roll receiving the web from said second guide roll, said second and third guide rolls in driving relation and means for driving the last-mentioned rolls.

EDWARD PERSON. 

